35 As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. 36 When he heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening. 37 They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.”
38 He called out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
39 Those who led the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
40 Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be brought to him. When he came near, Jesus asked him, 41 “What do you want me to do for you?”
“Lord, I want to see,” he replied.
42 Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has healed you.” 43 Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, praising God. When all the people saw it, they also praised God.
Luke 18:39 – 42 NIV
Some takeaways:
- People who are marginalized are as much in need of being “seen” as everyone else.
- Sometimes, as believers, we get so caught up in leading Christ’s procession that we forget those who are on the outskirts of existence.
- When the marginalized react and seek attention, we sometimes think that it is self-seeking and counterproductive. We are tempted tell them to be “quiet”.
- Believers have a responsibility to clear the way between the marginalized and Christ, so that they can be given an opportunity to experience what he offers everyone.
- Experiences that result in the marginalized person’s receipt of Christ’s wonderful gift produce resounding praise in all his people
Whether people are marginalized by race, ethnicity, developmental challenge/disability (including those who struggle with mental illness, addiction, homelessness), sexual orientation, gender, social/economic status (including those who are incarcerated), age, indigenous heritage or religion, as believers we are called to (1) see/hear them and (2) facilitate a connection with Christ, if they desire it.
This fall, Jesus Lifts will be offering a group entitled “Diverse Perspectives”. The group is geared towards helping create dialog about the nature of diversity in the world and church. The group will meet on a monthly basis and include members sharing their diverse backgrounds and a rich agenda of topics related to the cultural variations that characterize us all. If you have interest in participating in this group or would like more information email us at contact@jesuslifts.com.
